Accumulated nonsense from one arrow's journey through time and space

09/19/2010

Post Secret and Improv

Post Secret it a hugely popular website where strangers write their secrets on a post card and mail them in anonymously.

Improv is the creation of a scene/skit/play/whatever as it's being performed with the intent of being entertaining/humorous. Maybe that's not the best definition on the planet, but it's what I can come up with at 2 in the morning.

The reason I'm posting at 2 in the morning is that I just got back from a long-form improv show and checked the Post Secret website for updates, and noticed some interesting similarities between the two. Both are enrapturing because they're rooted in stories from real people. We want to see honesty and be intimate with someone and to be trusted enough to see the naked truth.

And yet, both are fake. The submissions for the post cards are anonymous. The stories that are created in improv, while based on real stories, are completely made up. People want intimacy from others without giving of themselves, and there are far more people reading post cards and watching shows than there are submitters and performers.

I really really really want a relationship with really intense and mutual trust, honesty and intimacy. Until that happens, I guess I'll keep doing improv and learn to get comfortable with sharing myself even if it's not reciprocated.